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DUTCHESS COUNTY. 



TARRYTOWN Pi:ES3-RKCOKD PRINT, 

Tnrrytown, N. Y. 



P. 

13Mr'0i 






. . . DUTCHESS COUNTY. . . . 

*£ <£• PAPER BY ^ o3* 

HON. ALFRED T. ACKERT. 



READ BEFORE 
The Dutchess County Society, in the City of 
New York at its Third Annual Banquet, held 
at Delmonico's, Borough of Manhattan. 



FRIDAY EVENING, FEB. 24. 1899, 



Mr. President and Gentlemen : 

Another year has passed into history 
since onr last banquet — a year fraught 
with wonderful achievements in the ad- 
vancement of our national prowess on land 
and sea. 

The world has no record of a like success. 
From a Nation but little known to the 
people of the world, outside of the most 
enlightened, to-day we are the subject of 
consideration among all nations and 
peoples. 

The very thoughts that press upon the 
mind in realization of what is our duty at 
this time, are bewildering in comprehension 
of the responsibilities resting upon us as a 
Nation. 






Dutcbcss County. 



" God works in a mysterious way his 
wonders to perform." 

The ignorance, superstition and barbar- [ 
ism of this world I believe will yet be 
dissipated by the onward march of truth and 
justice, carried forward by us as a people to 
every land and over every sea beneath that 
emblem that personifies all that is good 
and brave and true — the flag of our 
Republic — and wherever that flag shall be 
raised there may it continue to wave, until 
another Republic, with a flag of its own, 
representing the same principles of liberty 
and truth, justice and mercy, shall take its 
place. 

L will not trespass on what may be the 
thought and expression of others who are 
our guests. My province is to read a 
paper relative to the history of our native 
county. 

The paper I had the honor and pleasure 
to read at our last banquet was a summary 
of provincial legislation during our ! Jolonial 
period. To-night 1 desire to extend the 
same so as to cover a period under our 
Constitutional government. 

The first and second sessions of the 
Legislature were not all that were held at 
Poughkeepsie. I tinl that the Legislature 



Dutchess gotutty. 



convened there in 1780, 1781, 1782, 1788, 
1789, and in 1795. 

Poughkeepsie was then only a settlement 
within the town of that name. The village 
was formed March 27, 1799, and a special 
charter granted by the Legislature April 
8, 1801. ' 

In my paper of last year I referred to a 
statement made by Stone, in his History 
of New York, that rioting existed in 
Dutchess Comity in 1766, as having been 
started by some Indians, who were joined 
by worthless whites, and which extended 
to Albany County (now Columbia). That 
the Commander-in-Chief of his Majesty's 
forces in America, Gren. Gage, ordered up 
the 2>-th Regiment, lately arrived from 
England, to meet the insurgents, who were 
brought to reason, and the ring-leaders 
brought to New York. 

I find in the N T ew York Mercury, of the 
issue of Monday, July 28, 1766, this state- 
ment : 

"The 19th inst. a company of the 26th 
"Regiment, now quartered here, with a 
"detachment of the train of artillery and 
"three field pieces, embarked at the North 
"River and sailed directly for Claverick, in 
"order, as 'tis reported, to settle some 



Dutcbm County. 



"affairs there between some tenants and 
"their landlords." 

"Friday morning last Hon. Daniel 
"Horl'manster and Robert R. Livingston, 
"Esqrs., two of the Judges of the Supreme 
"Court of this Province, with some of bis 
"Majesty's Council and several gentlemen 
"of the law, sailed from hence for Pough- 
"keepsie, in order to try sundry people that 
"delivered themselves up there on account 
"of the late troubles in that county, and 
"Mr. Prendergrass, who delivered himself 
"up also on the same account, and was 
"lately brought to our goal, is gone up 
"likewise to take his trial for some rnis- 
"demeanor« laid to his charge." 

(From the New York Mercury of the issue of 
Monday, August 18, 1766.) 

"Letters from Dutchess County dated 
"one day last week advise that at the 
"special Court then sitting there, William 
"Pendergrass was found guilty of High 
"Treason after a trial of twenty-four hours, 
"and received sentence accordingly." 

(From the New York Mercury of the issue of 
Monday. August 25. 1766.) 

" From Dutchess County we learn that 
"Pindergast has been condemned for High 



DutcSiess County. 



"Treason, and was sentenced to suffer 
"death for the same in six weeks. 'Tis said 
"it was proved to the jury that the said 
"Pindergast before the misdemeanor hap- 
pened for which he was tried, was always 
"esteemed a sober, honest, and industrious 
"farmer, much beloved by his neighbors, 
"but stirred up to act as he did by one 
"Monro, who is absconded." 

(From the New York Mercury of the issue of 
September 15, 1766.) 

" On Monday, the first inst., his Excell- 
ency, Sir Henry Moore, Bart., left Albany 
"for Crown Point, having before he set 
"out been pleased to send a reprieve to the 
"Sheriff of Dutchess County respecting the 
"execution of Wra. Pendergast until his 
"Majesty's pleasure 1 should be known." 

From these statements, published at the 
time, I am of the belief that these white 
persons and Indians, who were em^aged in 
rioting, were not so worthless as some 
historians characterize them. They were, 
doubtless, honest, laborious farmers, goaded 
to revolt by the sy-tem of rent oppression, 
and these Indians claimed, no doubt, some 
rights to the soil also. Looking back 
nearly a century and a half, and consider- 



Dutchess County. 



stage 
Cbrousb 

the 
County. 



ing the history and surroundings of these 
people, and the land system in vogue, do 
we wonder that so little opposition was 
made in the apparent attempt to drive the 
Indian from the homes of his ancestors 
and in oppressively taxing the new settler 
for the right to cultivate the earth. 

The Legislature by an Act passed April 
4, 1785, granted unto Isaac Van Wyck, 
Tilmage Hall and John Kenney, the ex- 
clusive right of keeping stage wagons on 
the east side of Hudson's River, between 
the cities of New York and Albany, for the 
term of ten years from June 1, 1785. The 
Act states that they were to provide at 
least two good and sufficient covered stage 
wagons to be drawn by four able horses, 
and the price for each passenger was not to 
exceed four pence per mile, with the privil- 
ege of carrying fourteen pounds weight of 
baggage, and a like sum of four pence per 
mile for one hundred and fifty pounds 
weight, and a like proportion for any 
greater or less quantity — they were to start 
at least once a week from each city unless 
prevented by the badness of the road or 
some uncommon accident Xo other per- 
son or persons were allowed to erect, set 
up, carry on, or drive any stage wagon or 



Dutcbess County. 



wagons, or any other carriage or carriages, 
for the like purpose, from said cities 
respectively, under a penalty of two 
hundred pounds, to be recovered by any 
person who shall prosecute the same, be- 
sides cost. 

The Legislature on March 7, 1788, passed 
an Act dividing the State into sixteen 
counties. Dutchess was bounded as fol- 
lows : 

"All that part of this State bounded 
"easterly by the State of Connecticut, 
"southerly by the County of Westchester, 
"westerly partly by the County of Orange 
"and partly by the County of Ulster, and 
"northerly by the Manor of Livingston, 
"including the whole of the oblong to the 
"northward of the County of Westchester." 

On the same day an Act was passed 
dividing the counties of the State into 
towns. The towns in Dutchess were named 
as follows : 

Philips Town, Frederick Town, South- 
east Town, Fishkill, Beekman, Pawling, 
Poughkeepsie, Clinton, Rhinebeck, Wash- 
ington, Amenia, and North East Town. 

" Another Act was passed April 3 t 1801, 
dividing the State into thirty counties, the 
County of Dutchess to contain all that part 



Division 
of State 

and 
Counties. 



JO 



Dutc&m County. 



of this State bounded easterly by the east 
bounds of this State, southerly by the 
County of Westchester, westerly by the 
counties of Orange and Ulster, and norther- 
ly by a due east line drawn from the south 
bank of Sawyer's Kill on the west side of 
Hudson's River, continued due east till 
it meets with a line settled and established 
between Robert R. Livingston and 
Zachariah Hoffman, deceased, and others, 
as their mutual boundary, so far as it runs, 
and thence the same course continued to 
the southermost bend of Roeluff Janseu's 
Kill, and thence along the south and 
east liue of the Manor of Livingston to the 
division line between the State and the 
Commonwealth of Massachusetts, including 
the whole of the oblong to the northward 
of the County of Westchester " 

By an Act passed the same day Dutchess 
County was divided into fifteen towns, the 
boundaries of which are practically the 
same as in the Act of 1788. And it will be 
noticed in this Act that the westerly bound- 
aries of the towns of Philips Town, now in 
Putnam County, Fishkill, Poughkeepsie, 
Clinton, now Hyde Park, Rhinebeck and 

j what is now Red Hook, is to the middle of 

i Hudson's River. 



Dutchess County. 



The Town of Stanford was created March 
12, 1793. 

The Town of Dover was taken from 
Pawling and created a town Feb. 20, 1807. 

The Town of Red Hook was taken from 
Rhinebeck and created a town June 2, 1812. 

The Town of Milan was taken from 
Northeast and created a town March 6, 
1821. 

The Town of Pleasant Valley was taken 
frorn Clinton and created a town January 
2G, 1821. 

The Town of Hyde Park was taken from 
Clinton and created a town January 26, 
1821. 

The Town of Pine Plains was taken from 
Northeast and created a town March 26, 
1823. 

The Town of Freedom was taken from 
Beekman and Fishkill Feb. 9, 1821. 

The Town of Union Vale was taken 
from Beekman and Freedom and created a 
town March 1, 1827. 

The name of Freedom was changed to 
Lagrange in 1828. 

The Town of East Fishkill was taken 
from Fishkill and created a town Nov. 29, 
1849. 



12 



Dutcbm County. 



measure 
of Cand in 
Dutchess 



The Town of Patterson, organized as 
Franklin, now in Putnam County, was 
taken from Southeast and created a town 
March 17, 1795. 

The Town of Carmel, now in Putnam 
County, was taken from Frederickstown 
and created a town March 17, 1795. 

The Town of Kent, now in Putnam 
County, was taken from Frederickstown 
and created a town March 7, 1788. 

The Town of Philips Town, now in 
Putnam County, was enlarged from Fish- 
kill in 1806. 

The Town of Southeast, now in Putnam 
County, was taken from Frederickstown 
and Southeast Town March 17, 1788. 

The County of Putnam was created and 
taken from Dutchess June 12th, 1812. 

An Act for ascertaining the measure of 
land was passed by the Legislature Fob. 
7th, 1788, which required " that an acre of 
land shall contain one hundred and sixty 
square perches or rods, each rod being in 
length five yards and one half of one yard, 
each yard three feet, and each foot twelve 
inches, so that when an acre of land shall 
be sixteen rods in length it shall be ten 
rods in breadth. 



Oufcbess County. 



13 



The Revolution had not driven wolves 
and panthers from the County, for by an 
Act par sed April 3, 1790, the Supervisors 
were required to pay to any person who shall 
kill a wolf or panther the sum of three 
pounds, and for a wolf or panther under one 
year old thirty shillings, and if killed by an 
ludian, free negro, or mulatto or slave, the 
same compensation was directed, but the 
master or mistress of the slave received the 
reward. While the lawmakers had en- 
larged their liberality by making the 
reward the same in all cases, it is, never- 
theless, curious that they had not yet 
advanced far enough in their conception 
of mankind to regard an Indian, free negro, 
mulatto or slave as a person, or it would 
not have been thought necessary to distin- 
guish them in the Act. 

A general law was passed Feb. 22d, 1799, 
giving to the Boards of Supervisors of the 
respective counties authority to give 
rewards for the killing of wolves or 
panthers, but the award was not to exceed 
the sum of ten dollars. 

On Feb. 9, 1822, an Act was passed 
repealing all former laws respecting 
awards for the killing of wolves, 



Wolves 

and 

Panthers. 



j4 Dutchess County, 

panthers and bears, and a bounty of ten 
dollars was authorized for killing a full 
grown wolf, and five dollars for each wolf's 
whelp, to be paid by the County Treasurer 
out of any moneys not otherwise appropri- 
ated. To obtain such bounty the person 
killing such wolf or whelp shall take the 
same or the head thereof, the skin and ears 
entire thereon, to a Justice of the Peace 
of the town in which such wolf was taken, 
and make oath and submit to an examin- 
ation, and if the Justice was satisfied, the 
said Justice shall thereupon cut off and 
burn the ears and scalp of said wolf or 
whelp, and give a certificate without fee or 
reward. 

And further, there shall be associated 
with such justice in all the duties required 
by the Act one of the Assessors or Over- 
seers of the Poor, or Commissioner of 
Highways of said town, whose duty it shall 
be to attend when called on for that pur- 
pose, who shall also subscribe the certificate. 
But no bounty shall be paid to any person 
for taking such wolf or whelps, unless it 
shall appear on such examination that the 
mother of such whelp was not taken before 
she brought forth such whelp. The State 
was to pay half the bounty. It will be 



9ufcfce$$ County. 



15 



observed that in this Act of 1822 the word 
person covers the killing by any one — at 
this date an Indian, free negro, mulatto or 
slave had become persons. 

By Act of March 31, 1817, every negro, slavery 
mulatto oi* mustee within this State, who is Abolished 
now a slave, shall continue such, unless 
manumitted according to law. Every 
child born of a slave within this State after 
the fourth day of July, 1799, shall be free, 
but remain the servant of the owner of his 
or her mother, and the executors, adminis- 
trators and assigns of such owner in such 
manner as if such child had been bound to 
service by the Overseers of the Poor, and 
shall continue in such service, if a male, 
until the age of twenty-eight years, and if 
a female, until the age of twenty- five years. 
And every child born of a slave within this 
State after the passage of this Act shall 
remain a servant as aforesaid until the age 
of twenty-one years, and no longer. 

Public roads or highways in a new foiglways 
country is a matter of great importance to 
the new settler. By a general Act passed 
May 4, 1784, Commissioners and Overseers 
of Highways were authorized to be chosen 
by the freeholders and inhabitants of the 



16 



Dutcbess County. 



towns, and I believe that the present rules 
and regulations respecting highways have 
their foundation from this Act — the laying 
out of roads whereby several roads which 
had been used as public highways had 
been closed — it was enacted May 16, 1785, 
"that all public highways which have been 
"used as such for the space of twenty years 
"last past, shall be taken, deemed, and 
"adjudged in law to be public highways." 



Ciirnpikc 
Road?. 



The first turnpike corporation in the 
county was created by Act of March 30, 
1802, for improving and making a road 
called " the Quaker Hill turnpike road," 
from Quaker Hill, at the end of Connecti- 
cut, near the house of Jeptha Sabins to the 
foot of the mountain called Fishkill, near 
where the old road crossed, and from 
thence by the most convenient route to 
Peter Brills, in the Town of Beekman. 

On April 2, 1802, another turnpike cor- 
poration was created for improving and 
making a road from the west line of the 
Town of Salesbury, in the State of Con- 
necticut to the Susquehannah River; at or 
near the Town of Jericho — to commence 
near the house of Alexander Spencer, 
deceased, in the Town of Northeast ; thence 



Dutchess County. 



by the Pine Plains to the ferry of John 
Radcliff and Moses Con tine over the 
Hudson's River to the Village of Kingston, 
and by the nearest route to the Susque- 
hannah River near said Town of Jericho. 
The legal title of this road was "The 
President, Directors and Company of the 
Ulster and Delaware Turnpike Road." 

From reading the title of the Act it 
would not be conceived that it created a 
road through the present towns of Rhine- 
beck, Milan, Pine Plains and North East, 
but such, however, was the fact. Market 
street, in the Village of Rhinebeck, is a 
part of said turnpike road. The ferry 
mentioned ran from the present ice docks 
of the Consolidated Ice Company, called 
the Rhinebeck Long Dock and Kingston 
Point, 

" The Dutchess County Turnpike Com- 
pany" was created by Act passed April 5, 
1802, for the purpose of making a road 
from the Court House in the Village of 
Poughkeepsie, to or near the house of 
Timothy Beadle, in the Town of Clinton, 
to pass through Pleasant Valley settlement, 
to be continued on easterly by the most 
convenient and direct route to the bound- 
ary line between the State of New York 



is Dutches* £oumy. 

and the State of Connecticut, to terminate 
in vicinity of the Town of Sharon or 
Salesbury, also to branch out from the 
most convenient part of said road to pursue 
generally as near as may be judged most 
conducive to the public good the then 
route, by Plymouth Hill to the Dover 
Road leadiug north and south at or near 
the house of Laurence Belding, to pass 
through the settlement known by the name 
of Mechanic. 

The capital stock was to be two thousand 
shares of the value of thirty dollars per 
share, and in case more was required to 
build the road an assessment of fifteen 
dollars on each share was to be made. 

The road was to be at least four rods 
wide, except where valuable buildings 
might interfere. Twenty-eight feet, at 
least, was to be bedded with stone gravel 
or other hard substance, at least one foot, 
thick, and to be faced with gravel or stone 
pounded or other small, hard substance. 
An even surface rising towards the middle 
by a gradual arch, and not so steep as that 
a wagon or other carriage loaded with hay 
would be overturned by moving on any 
part thereof. The water ways on each side 
were to be constructed as that in times of 



Dutcbe$$ County. 



J9 



sdow they would form a good path for 
sleds, and not so deep as to endanger the 
overthrowing of sleds going off said arched 
way into said water ways, and they were to 
be kept in good and perfect order. 

Complaints were to be made to the Judge 
of Common Pleas, who had authority to 
appoint Commissioners to report on the 
condition of the road, and in case the road 
was out of repairs, the gates were to be 
opened, and not shut or toll collected until 
such repairs were made. 

The westerly gate or turnpike on said 
road was to be fixed immediately below the 
road from Swego, which crosses the Wap- 
penger's creek, near the house of Solomon 
Southerland, with said turnpike road. Two 
gates or turnpikes were to be between 
Ponghkeepsie and Timothy Beadles, and 
two between Timothy Beadles and the 
town of Sharon or Salsbury, and one on 
that b ranch which would lead from the 
route before mentioned to Dover road. 

The Company was authorized to appoint 
toll gatherers to collect and receive the toll 
from all and every person or persons using 
said road for any number of miles not less 
than ten, the following sums, and so in 
proportion for any gi eater or less distance : 



20 



Dutcftcss County. 



For every score of sheep or hogs, 6 cents ; 
and so in proportion for a greater or less 
number. 

For every score of cattle 12£ cents ; and 
so in proportion as aforesaid. 

For every horse and rider, or led or 
drawn horse, 4 cents. 

For every sulkey, chair, or chaise, with 
one horse and two wheels, 12 £ cents. 

For every chariot, coach, coaches or 
phaeton, 25 cents. 

For every stage wagon or other four 
wheeled carriage drawn by two horses, and 
for every cart or wagon drawn by two 
oxen, 12£ cents ; and three cents for every 
additional horse or ox. 

For every sleigh or sled drawn by two 
horses or two oxen, 6 cents : and two 
cents for every additional horse or ox. 

For every sleigh or sled drawn by one 
horse (commonly called a pung) 4 cents. 

For every cart drawn by one horse, six 
cents ; and for every additional horse three 
cents. 

And it was lawful for the toll gatherer to 
stop any person or persons riding, leading 
or driving any horse, cattle, sheep, or hogs, 
sulkey, chaise, phaeton, chair,coach, wagon, 
cart, sleigh, sled, or other carriage of 



Dutchess County. 



2J 



burthen or pleasure, from passing through 
the said gates or turnpikes until such toll 
had been paid. 

But said corporation or their toll gather- 
ers were not entitled to ask or receive or 
take any toll from any person whatsoever 
from passing said gates, or either of them, 
who are going to or from a funeral or 
election, or who may have occasion to pass 
a gate for the common business of a farm, 
or who may be going to or from public 
worship on Sunday, or who may go to or 
return from mill with grain or flour for his 
family use ; and wagons or carts, the 
wheels of which shall be made with felloes 
of the width of eight inches on the face or 
outside of them, could use said road and 
pass said gates free from any toll or expense 
whatever for five years after the gates were 
erected. 

(I assume this was done to encourage a 
substitute for rollers for packing the road- 
way). 

Mile stones were to be erected, one for 

each and every mile on said road from the 

Court House in Poughkeepsie to the eastern 

extreme thereof, and on each stone was to 

! be legibly marked the distance the said 



22 Dutcftess County. 



stone was from the Court House in Pough- 
keepsie. 

A public list of rates of toll was fixed 
in a conspicuous place at each gate or turn- 
pike. 

Persons were to take the right hand part 
of the road, and in case of sleigh or sleds 
the right hand waterway. Any persons who 
should break, throw down, or deface any 
of the mile stones so erected for the inform- 
ation Of " THE GOOD PEOPLE OF THIS STATE," 

were subject to a fine of fifty dollars, and 
not less than one dollar ; and for turning- 
out to pass the gates on adjacent ground to 
evade the toll, were to pay ten times the 
amount due for toll, to be recovered by 
suit, besides costs. 

By Act of July 1, 1851, this Company 
was authorized to plank their road or part 
thereof. The road from the steel works in 
thf town of Amenia on the Dutchess turn- 
pike road to Hibernia mills, in the town of 
Clinton, authorized April 4, 1804, was by 
Act of April 11, 1808, declared to be a 
public highway. 

" The Deep Hollow Branch Turnpike 
Road Company " was incorporated by the 
Legislature April 27, 1829. They were 

L.ofC. 



Buecbess gownty. 23 

authorized to make a turnpike road com- 
mencing at or near the store of Northrup 
and Merritt on the Dutchess turnpike road, 
iu the town of Washington, about twenty 
miles east of Poughkeepsie, and to run 
through that part of the county called 
Deep Hollow, and to end at or near the 
store and furnace of Reed, Griffin and Com- 
pany in the town of Amenia. 

The New U am burgh Turnpike Road was 
declared a public highway April 16, 1830. 

The Highland Turnpike Road was de- 
clared a public highway April 8, 1833. 

The Dutchess Union Turnpike Company 
was incorporated April 9, 1813. The road 
to commence at a line dividing the States 
of Connecticut and New York, at the ter- 
mination of a turnpike in said State of 
Connecticut, near Bull's Bridge, in the town 
of Kent, from thence to the house of Brice 
Shove, in the town of Dover; thence to or 
near the house of Jackson Wing, said town 
of Dover; thence to or near the house of 
Caleb Simpson, town of Beekman ; thence 
to or near the house of Adam Crons, said 
town — thence to or near the house of 
Thomas Potter. 

The Fishkill Mountain Turnpike Com- 
pany was authorized by Act passed March 



24 Dutcbm County. 

31, 1817, to run from the corner of the road 
near the house of Jonathan Squires, of the 
town of Patterson, Putnam County ; thence 
westerly crossing the Philipstown turnpike 
near the house of Hezekiali Pecks, and 
thence to the house of Jacob I. Adreance, 
of the town of Fishkill, Dutchess County. 

The Pawling and Beekman Turnpike 
Company was incorporated April 3, 1818, 
to commence at or near the house of Joseph 
Arnold, town of Pawling ; thence westerly 
across the mountain to or near the house 
of Nathan Miller, Jr., town of Beekman. 

The Dover and Union Vale Turnpike 
Road was incorporated April 19, 1828, to 
run from the State line between Connecti- 
cut and New York, near Bulls Bridge, in 
Dover, and thence through said town 
westerly to the Poughkeepsie market road, 
near the lands of Ephraim Duncan, in town 
of Union Vale. 

The Dover and Union Vale Turnpike 
Road Company was incorporated April 
23, 1835, the road to run from or near the 
house of Edward Ward, in the town of 
Dover, to or near the house of Caleb Simp- 
son ; thence to the clove road at or near 
the house of Andrew J. Skidmore, in the 
town of Union Vale. On April 26, 1836, 



Dutchess County. 



25 



the law was amended extending the road 
from the house of said Skidmore to the 
corner of the r^ad east of the meeting 
house near the dwelling house of William 
R. Potter, in the town of Union Vale. 

On May 8th, 1835, an Act was passed ap- 
pointing Commissioners to lay out a public 
highway of three rods wide from Main 
street, in the Village of Poughkeepsie; to 
the Village of Pine Plains. The expenses 
of the Commissioners were to be appor- 
tioned upon the towns through which said 
highway should pass. This Act was repealed 
April 5,* 1836. 

Th^ Legislature on Feb. 17, 1848, author- 
ized the Board of Supervisors to appoint 
inspectors of turnpike roads. 

A society was authorized by an Act fjorse 
passed April 5, 1828, whereby a Farmers' Racing. 
and Citizens' Association could be organ- 
ize! for the purpose of improving the 
breed of horses, and to establish a market 
for their sale, the Society to have courses 
for trial of speed. Six days only, between 
the 10th of May and 10th of June, and be- 
tween the 10th of October and 10th of 
November were allowed in each year. 

No races were to take place on public 



26 



SMcftess County. 



roads or highways, nor unless under the 
control and direction and upon the courses 
of said Society or Association. 

No cards, dice, gambling tables or devices 
were to be suffered or permitted within two 
miles of said courses. 

The Sheriff was directed by the Act to 
be in attendance, and to be paid by the 
Society three dollars per day for each day's 
attendance. 

All races and matches in the county, 
other than authorized by said Act, were 
prohibited in said county. 

The Act was amended April 20, 1829, 
and racing was limited to six days in each 
year. 

The annual County Fair, which was held 
at Washington Hollow, Town of Washing- 
ton, for many years, doubtless originated 
from this Act. 



Klftal* 
Tiding. 



Two companies were created by Legis- 
lative Act for the purpose of engaging in 
the whale fishing in the Atlantic and 
Pacific Oceans and elsewhere, and in the 
manufacture of oil and spermaceti candles. 

The first passed April 20, 1832, called the 
" Poughkeepsie Whaling Company " to be 
located in the Village of Poughkeepsie. 



Dutchess County. 



27 



The other passed April 30, 1833, called the 
" Dutchess WhaliDg Company," to be 
located in the Village of Poughkeepsie. 

One provision of the law in each Act was 
that no foreigner should ever be a stock- 
holder or in any way interested therein. 

On May 13, 1845, Robert G. Eankin, 
Charles Bartlett, Henry Gr. Ludlow, Abra- 
ham Bockee, Robert Wilkinson, John 
Johnston, Henry A. Livingston, John W. 
Knevels and Freeborn Garrettson and 
others, were created a body corporate by 
the name of the " Dutchess County His- 
torical Society," for the purpose of collect- 
ing and preserving all matters and things 
in any way connected with or relating to 
the natural, civil, literary or ecclesiastical 
history of Dutchess County. I have not 
been able to learn when this corporation 
began to live or when it died. It certainly 
is not now in existence. 

The growth in population has been slow 
and at times decreased. 

In 1790 it was 45,266. 

In 1800 it was 47,775. 

In 1810 it was 51,434. 

In 1820 it was 46,615, of whom 52 were 
law vers. (Putnam County was not now 



historical 
Society. 



Popula- 
tion. 



28 



Dutcbm County. 



included). 

In 1835 it was 50,704. 

In 1840 it was 52,398, of whom 42 were 
lawyers, a decrease of ten in twenty years. 

In 1845 it was 55,124. 

In 1850 it was 58,992. 

In 1855 it was 60,635. 

In 1860 it was 64,194. 

In 1865 it was 65,192. 

In 1870 it was 74,041. 

In 1875 it was 76,334. 

In 1880 it was 79,184. 

In 1890 it was 77,879. 

In ancient and modern times were pre- 
served in various ways by inscriptions on 
marble or bronze the names of those who 
were noted in the service of their State 
and country, and so in our own times do 
we recall from History the services of those 
who from our own native county have in 
many instances rendered conspicuous ser 
vices to our State and Nation. 

Men who represented ! >utchess County 
in Independence Hall in Philadelphia, in 
the Continental Congress, in the Congress 
of the United States, who have represented 
us abroad, and who occupied other eminent 
station were the peers of any in the land. 

We can recall the names <>f 



Prominent 
men. 



Dutchess County. 29 



Robert R. Livingston, Chancellor 

Edward Livingston, Codifier of Laws. 

Gilbert Benson, Attorney General. 

Peter R. Livingston, Speaker. 

Melancton Smith, Congressman. 

Gilbert Livingston, Surrogate. 

Morgan Lewis, Governor. 

Philip Schuyer, General. 

Ephriam Paine, Continental Congress. 

Richard Montgomery, General. 

Jacob Radcliff, Judge. 

Zephaniah Piatt, Constitutional Convention. 

James Kent, Jurist. 

John Armstrong, Secretary of War. 

Abraham Bockee, Senator. 

Charles H. Ruggels, Court of Appeals. 

James Tallmadge, Lieutenant Governor. 

Thomas Tillotson, Secretary of State. 

James Emott, Judge. 

John A. Quitman, General. 

Samuel F. B. Morse, Philosopher. 

Dr. Federal Vanderberg, Physician. 

Benson J. Lossing, Historian. 

Rev. Dr. Frederick H. Quitman, Lutheran Divine. 

Rev. Dr. Horatio Potter, Bishop. 

Rev. Dr. Alonzo Potter, Bishop. 

Rear-Admiral John R. Worden, Hero. 

What a galaxy of names made famous by 
greal deeds and brilliant services. 

Id statesmanship— in the Judiciary— in 
war — in diplomacy — in the church — in 
medicine — they were unrivalled in their 
several vocations. 

Tkev were wise men. They helped to 



30 



Dutchess County. 



shape and mould the government under 
which we live. They interpreted it when 
established. 

They were conspicuous actors on the 
stage of life, in war and peace. Many of 
them are already commemorated in marble 
and bronze. Their epitaphs aie inscribed 
on the pages of the world's history. 

To properly present the life and charac- 
ter of each and every one T have named 
would require more evenings than I have 
mentioned names. 

They are dead and yet live. 

Let us honor their memory and strive to 
emulate their virtues, 
and so live " that when thy summons comes 
"to join the innumera^caravan that moves 
"to that mysterious realm — where each 
"shall take his chamber in the silent halls 
"of death, thou go not like the^^Cslave 
"at night scourged to his dungeon, but 
"sustained and soothed by an unfaltering 
"trust — approach thy grave like one who 
"wraps the drapery of his couch about him 
"and lies down to pleasant dreams." 



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